I am truly honored to write a letter of recommendation in support of John Sparano’s candidacy for Fellowship in the American Institute of Architects. John justly deserves this professional recognition for his achievements, leadership and impact on architecture in the American West region of the United States. His innovative work has significantly contributed to the enhancement of the built environment in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and California.
I first met John through his and my firm's involvement, as finalists, in the invited design competition for the Kimball Art Center in Park City, UT. His dedication to the architectural discussion in the American West became clear to me over the course of that competition process, as did his talents as an excellent designer and communicator with a keen ability to articulate how the region has informed his body of work.
I have observed the continued evolution of John's work since then and the refinement of his architectural voice, defining a new standard for design in the American West with a refined formal language that innovates and inspires. John is indeed making a significant impact on contemporary architecture in the region
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He has an unusual combination of talent and vision. In addition to the conceptual rigor he applies to architecture, John’s work clearly communicates his passion for what architecture and urbanism can and should be in the Western United States. His office, Sparano + Mooney Architecture, was recognized in 2013 with the distinction of the AIA Utah Firm of the Year as evidence of the quality of the practice and its work. John’s approach to design is to address the entirety of an architectural commission. His projects creatively engage both the architectural issues of the buildings themselves and their impact on the larger context, in both urban and natural
Gehry draws his inspiration from famous paintings such as the Madonna and Child which he qualifies as a “strategy for architecture” (Friedman M. , 2003, p. 42) and which he used as an inspiration for a project in Mexico . Through his interpretation of the paintings and artwork, Gehry looked for a new kind of architecture. His search for a new type of architecture culminated in 1978 with his own house in Santa Monica. What was once a traditional Californian house would be redesigned to become one of the most important and revolutionary designs of the 20th century, giving Gehry international prestige and fame. Frank Gehry’s “Own House” uses a mixture of corrugated metal, plywood, chain link and asphalt to construct a new envelope for an existing typical Californian house. This house has been inspired by Joseph Cornell, Ed Moses and Bob Rauschenberg. Gehry comments on his house by saying that there was something “magical” (Friedman M. , 2003, p. 54) about it. He admits having “followed the end of his [my] nose” (Friedman M. , 2003, p. 54) when it came to constructing the “new” house, which led Arthur Drexler, former Director...
Dell Upton is a historian and renowned professor of architecture and Urbanism at the University of California. He has published several books on architecture; one of them is “Architecture in the United States”, published in 1998. In this book, Upton analyzes the architecture of the United States in different aspects, such as nature, money and art, thus depicting the great variety in architectural forms, and how throughout the decades, different interests have lead communities to different ways of building, different purposes and materials, thus reflecting their way of thinking and their relationship with the environment. By exploring so many different architectural styles, Upton reveals the great diversity and richness that has always, and continues to characterize American architecture.
The prominent and imaginative Wisconsin born American architect, interior designer and author, Frank Lloyd Wright hit his architectural milestone in the mid-1930s when he designed his world-renowned master piece in Bear Run, Western Pennsylvania, “Fallingwater” also referred to as Kaufmann Residence. Owing to his unique perspective in architecture which he refers to as “organic”, the structure looks as though it sprung naturally amidst Bear Run's trees and water. Frank Lloyd Wright’s complete body of work was so broad that till date he still remains highly recognized as the greatest architect of all time. His career which lasted for approximately seventy two years was apostrophized with global fame, artistic conquests as well as great criticism. Wright's recognized masterpieces outshone the entire works of many other twenty first century architects. The structure which is now preserved for tourists from around the globe by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy was a great source of achievement to the architect and his colleagues.
(Image taken from Tranchtenberg, Marvin, Isabelle Hyman. Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity. Second Edition. Prentice Hall, Inc. New Jersey: 2002.)
James F. O'Gorman, Dennis E. McGrath. ABC of Architecture. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1998. Document. October 2013.
Heinz, Thomas A., Frank Lloyd Wright: Architectural Monographs No 18, St. Martin's Press, New York, 1992.
“In the Cause of Architecture” is an essay written by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1908. In this work, Wright outlines many of his architectural values. This text goes into great detail about the philosophy behind Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture, as well as many important milestones in his life, such as working for Adler and Sullivan. This text is useful because it comes straight from Frank Lloyd Wright himself. It talks about many things important to his role as a notable American, such as his influences for his architecture and his architectural
Temko, Allan. (1993). No Way to Build a Ballpark: and Other Irreverent Essays on Architecture. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.
In order to create innovative public architecture, considered to be the most civic, costly, time intensive and physical of the arts, the project holds a degree of risk, strife, and negotiation . Overcoming these tasks and creating worthy public architecture is a challenge designers try to accomplish, but are rarely successful. The people involved in a potential public building, can be larger than the building itself. Public architecture tries to please all, even the doubters and critics, but because of the all these factors, a building is closer to failing than succeeding.
11. Dennis Sharp. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Architects and Architecture. New York: Quatro Publishing, 1991. p117.
Frank Lloyd Wright has been called “one of the greatest American architect as well as an Art dealer that produced a numerous buildings, including houses, resorts, gardens, office buildings, churches, banks and museums. Wright was the first architect that pursues a philosophy of truly organic architecture that responds to the symphonies and harmonies in human habitats to their natural world. He was the apprentice of “father of Modernism” Louis Sullivan, and he was also one of the most influential architects on 20th century in America, Wright is idealist with the use of elemental theme and nature materials (stone, wood, and water), the use of sky and prairie, as well as the use of geometrical lines in his buildings planning. He also defined a building as ‘being appropriate to place’ if it is in harmony with its natural environment, with the landscape (Larkin and Brooks, 1993).
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 25, 1925, Robert Charles Venturi, Jr. has been recognized as one of America’s most successful architectural figures of the twentieth century. Venturi was born to Robert Venturi Sr. and Vanna Venturi and was raised as a Quaker. As a youth he attended Episcopal Academy in Merion, Pennsylvania. Venturi graduated from Princeton summa cum laude in 1947. He also a member-elect of Phi Beta Kappa and won the D’Amato Prize in Architecture while there (The Nassau Herald). Venturi went onto receive his M.F.A. from Princeton as well in 1950. After graduating he worked briefly alongside Eero Saarinen in Michigan and then with Louis Kahn in Philidelphia. Venturi was awarded the Rome Prize Fellowship for the American Academy in Rome in 1954. While in Europe Robert toured other countries and studied various periods of architecture for two years. Once back in the United States, Venturi taught at Pennesylvania University from 1954-1965. He started as Kahn’s teaching assistant and eventually made his way to Associated Professor. It was here that Venturi met fellow professor and architect Denise Scott Brown, who would later become his wife on July 23, 1967.
¡P S. Bronwyn, Contemporary Discourse in Interior Architecture and Design ¡V Unit Reader 2002, Monash University, 2002, Melbourne
All my life I had dreamed of this day. I had spent countless hours playing “architecture firm” and designing various buildings on my “Home Design 2000” program. Today was the commencement of the fall 2003 semester at State University’s College of Architecture, Planning, and Design (or CAPD for short).
Although self-motivation is extremely important, seeking the guidance and critique of others is essential to good design since others can find what I may have overlooked. One critic who has been particularly crucial to the development of my work is Craig Scott, a Progressive Architecture Awards Winner in 1996,who worked together with Homa Fardjadi and Sima Fardjadi. Craig was my studio critic during the spring term of 1997.